Mogadishu
CNN
—
The al-Qaeda al-Shabaab terrorist group carried out a suicide attack and stormed a hotel in central Mogadishu frequented by somalia ministers and MPs, Somali police said on Sunday.
Al-Shabaab stormed the Villa Rose hotel near Somalia’s presidential palace following a suicide bombing at the gate at 8 p.m. local time (noon ET), police said.
Captain Bishar Ahmed confirmed to CNN that a major attack occurred at the hotel, which is in a highly protected area of downtown Mogadishu, where the state house, ministries and a high security prison.
Adam Aw Hirsi, the Minister of State for the Environment, said he escaped the attack.
Police did not release details of the number of casualties. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Somali armed forces, supported by the United States, waged a military campaign against the group since August in parts of southern and central Somalia.
In May, US President Joe Biden decided to redeploy troops to Somalia to support local government and counter al-Shabaab. The move reversed a decision by former President Donald Trump to withdraw all US troops from the country.